Monday, August 17, 2015

. . . and delivered a fabulous speech to a packed audience at Durham's County Hall with plenty of time for questions. As usual, many in the room had already decided on backing Yvette, but several told me she now took their first preference. The race ain't over yet for Labour's next leader.

Sorry I'll be unable to share stage tomorrow with Jeremy Corbyn for a terrific event organised in Newcastle by my friend, the tireless David Stockdale. Would have enjoyed speaking with Corbyn and hearing what he has to say. Maybe next time. If you're in the area, check it out. Should be fun. Even for friends who give first preferences to different candidates.

. . . is the title of today's headline piece for BBC Magazine online. A great essay on an important topic - and pleased to be quoted in it about why the government's fast-track system was rejected by the UK courts. READ MORE HERE.

David Ingersoll’s essay “Karl Llewellyn, American Legal
Realism and Contemporary Legal Behavioralism” is a significant, but neglected
contribution to our understanding of legal realism in the United States. This
article argues that it first anticipates the shape of legal realism’s revival
today and shows that Ingersoll was ahead of his time. The once dominant school
of legal realism had become a much maligned theory of law when this essay was
first published. Ingersoll identifies two varieties of legal realism and most
critics focus on only one of them. He argues that legal realism should be
revived if it develops its second variety often overlooked which accepts rule
skepticism and recognizes the importance of social psychology to predicting
legal outcomes more reliably.

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

I'm conducting research for a book Becoming British forthcoming with Biteback. The book is about how UK citizenship works and how it should be reformed. I'm keen to hear the thoughts of both British citizens and non-UK citizens on this topic. The survey takes only 5 minutes and I'd be happy to speak further with anyone interested in a follow-up chat. Please let me know if you have any questions - and please forward the survey link to your networks!

Monday, August 10, 2015

The British Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, is changing his mind daily about whether his government is in control of the current EU migration crisis in Calais and elsewhere.

Only about 24 hours ago, Hammond said that the UK government has got "a grip" on the situation in Calais and turned a corner. He didn't come armed with evidence, but had much tough rhetoric giving clear assurances that all was well.

Today, an interview with Hammond is being widely reported where he says that EU is being invaded by "marauding" migrants in language some will see as more inflammatory that Cameron's comment regarding the UK being "swamped" by migrants.

One day this week Hammond says all is under control. Now he says the European way of life(!) is under threat. So which is it, Foreign Secretary?

Looks like yet more evidence this is a government that has tough sounding talk on immigration, but few effective ideas. Another reason why they could do with advice from those of us who are migrants to the UK...

Monday, August 03, 2015

I've had a second Sky News interview this evening shortly after 5.30pm with Andrew Wilson. I was asked about Prime Minister David Cameron's new plans announced today that would see landlords forced to evict illegal immigrants -- effectively turning landlords into border agents. My view is simple: if the previous Immigration Minister in Cameron's government, Mark Harper, was mistaken to believe his cleaner was legally allowed to work in the UK (she was not and Harper swiftly resigned), then there is little hope others will do much better than him. Furthermore, these plans have not been shown to be effective: the current trial has not led to a single illegal immigrant being deported. This will do little to improve public confidence - and a poor attempt to divert attention from the continuing migrant crisis in Calais I've been talking about in several recent tv interviews.

Sunday, August 02, 2015

I've been interviewed by a number of media organisations over the last few days, including BBC News, Sky News, Al Jazeera (2x) and France 24 and several radio stations such as BBC Radio Newcastle (from 01:09:00) and BBC Radio Tees (from 27.30).

I've written a short post for the leading Labour Party blog LabourList on how the current crisis should be addressed. In short, there should be less finger-pointing and more cooperation at several levels. First, the UK and France must work more closely together to calm current tensions, but realise any measures are likely to only affect the short-term. Secondly, they should work together with their EU counterparts on a more effective strategy for handling asylum claims and tackling illegal human trafficking. If not, the Calais crisis will only continue for much longer.

Thom Brooks

About Me

I'm Professor of Law and Government at Durham University's Law School. I'm also Associate Member of the Philosophy Department. I'm originally from New Haven, Connecticut and currently a Visiting Fellow at Yale Law School. I've previously held visiting positions at Oxford, St Andrews and Uppsala and previously taught at Newcastle University. I'm founding editor of the Journal of Moral Philosophy which I started in 2003 while a graduate student.

My current research interests are immigration law and policy (esp citizenship) and sentencing law and policy (esp theories of punishment and the use of sentencing guidelines). I'm also working on the capabilities approach and global justice as well as my longstanding interests in the work of Hegel and the British Idealists.